Most motor vehicles sold today have interiors with plastic, cloth, vinyl, leather and/or other comparatively “soft” materials components serving primarily non-structural purposes while adjacent metal, fiberglass or other “hard” materials components serve structural purposes. For example, vehicle doors usually have a sheet metal skin, internal steel structural members and one or more interior panels made of a soft material(s). The interior panels made of soft materials are typically designed to be aesthetically pleasing, even though they may serve to add functionality, such as by defining storage features, rests, etc.
A motor vehicle's value is generally diminished if its interior is damaged or worn, even if the remainder of the vehicle is well maintained. Interior door panels in law enforcement vehicles receive significant wear from heavy use, particularly from rear seat occupants. Because such vehicles may be sold for other uses after only a few years, fleet managers seek to preserve the interiors, including disassembling the OEM interior door panels from the remainder of the doors and replacing them with an aftermarket replacement panel.
Aftermarket replacement panels usually provide additional features, too. Law enforcement vehicles may have replacement panels that would limit a rear seat occupant's access to a door handle, a lock control, a window control or a hiding place for contraband.
The conventional approach of removing the original OEM panels, storing them and installing replacement panels requires fleet managers to track and store the removed panels for long periods, which becomes expensive due to the space required for storage and the hours required to maintain, track and re-install them.